


Baby, is this paradise?

by Bandhore



Category: Asking Alexandria, Bring Me The Horizon, Pierce the Veil
Genre: Bullying, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-30
Updated: 2016-01-30
Packaged: 2018-05-17 06:09:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5857129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bandhore/pseuds/Bandhore
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mike is a regular boy in a regular school. He's not the most liked and doesn't have many friends, until one day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Baby, is this paradise?

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this is my first story. Any advice is needed! It shouldn't take too long to upload the second chapter, but let me know what you guys think!   
> Thanks!

THUMP!  
A punch landed in Mike’s stomach, and he staggered backwards.  
His eyes stung and his face reddened as humiliation overwhelmed him. A  
boy his age, but a foot taller grabbed Mike’s hat and laughed.  
To some people, this wouldn’t be a big deal; but to Mike, this was his  
worst fear. You see, Mike hid behind his hat in the same way a singer  
hides behind their bodyguard when faced with a crowd of pre-pubescent  
teens. He was bullied often, so he tried his best to blend in to the  
crowd, but no matter how hard he tried… Mike was always found. He was  
different to the other kids. He wasn’t interested in sports, wasn’t in  
a band or wasn’t even good looking to some people. He stuck out like a  
sore thumb. Mike only really had one passion, and he got assaulted  
every day because of it. What was it? Harry Potter. Mike was in love  
with Harry Potter. Where ever he went, if he even went out at all, he  
would make sure have a copy at hand. But people at his school didn’t  
understand this; in their mind he was strange, weird- wrong, even.  
Mike didn’t have many friends either; he always found it hard to put  
himself out there. Besides, he stuck by his older brother, Vic,  
usually, so there wasn’t any reason. But today, Vic was off sick and  
Mike had to face the bullies by himself, or so he thought.  
“Hey! Leave him alone!” A strong British accent filled Mike’s ears  
with warmth and comfort. He frowned. Who was this mystery guy? Why was  
he getting involved? Mike turned to see a pair of heavenly brown eyes.  
He paused for a moment and the stranger continued. “Give Mike back his  
hat!”  
Mike couldn’t focus on what this new, young man was saying, his eyes  
running over the boy’s body and his many tattoos. He’d never seen  
someone his age with so many.  
“Why do you even care? In love or something, are you?” A scrawny boy,  
who goes by the name of Ben, piped up.  
The new owner of Mike’s hat turned his head to directly look at Ben,  
face scrunched up in annoyance. Ben cowered behind his long, blond  
hair.  
“Sorry, Danny!” Ben sheepishly replied.  
“I’ll deal with you later, Bruce!”  
Danny wasn’t the leanest of boys, but he wasn’t the weakest either.  
The only thing impressive about Danny, Mike thought to himself, was  
that he had a beard. Mike was always jealous because he couldn’t grow  
one. If that was all Danny had to offer, why was Mike so afraid of  
him?  
Danny turned his head back to look at the stranger. Snarling, he  
reluctantly gave Mike his hat back. Not completely sure what was  
happening, Mike snatched the hat from his bodyguard, panicked, and ran  
home; leaving his saviour behind without any thanks.  
Who was this guy? Why did he want to save me? Was Ben right- does he  
really love me?  
Pushing his questions aside, Mike tried to act normal when he reached  
the narrow path to his front door. His parents weren’t home, but Vic  
was. Mike quietly set his bag on the floor next to his black converse  
shoes and crept upstairs.  
Mike wiped a tear from his eyes as he contemplated entering Vic’s  
room. His hand was placed on the handle and he took a deep breath, but  
seconds later he backed off and walks towards his own room.  
“I shouldn’t disturb him,” Mike mumbles to himself, pushing his door shut.  
He knew that talking about his problems would help him, but Mike  
doesn’t want to keep running to Vic. He has to learn to deal with  
things for himself. Instead Mike grabs for a quicker release. A razor  
blade will do the trick.  
Mike pulls up his sleeve, staring blankly at yesterday’s cuts that  
hadn’t fully scarred yet. Mike was no stranger to inflicting pain on  
himself. The harming had become a habit, and was undoubtedly getting  
harder to resist. He fills his lungs with oxygen and closes his eyes.  
Mike presses the blade against his left wrist. He knows that he  
doesn't have to do this, that he could put the blade down now and talk  
to Vic, but he doesn't. Mike applied force with his right index finger  
and was instantly hit with pure bliss. The blade dragged across the  
skin of his forearm and beads of blood quickly appeared. It took  
several more slashes on his arm before Mike could gather his thoughts.  
For one moment, he felt in control.

\---  
“Today will be a better day.” Mike said to himself as he stood in  
front of the mirror, trying to force a smile. He looked so tired.  
After a restless night, the last thing he needed was to be confronted  
by Danny and his ‘army’, not to mention facing the boy who had put  
them in their place. He had his brother. Vic. Vic was much better  
now, and when a sniffle came from outside the door, Mike knew that it  
was time to leave for school.  
“Are you okay? I didn’t hear you come back yesterday, and you weren’t  
around when it was time to eat.” Vic said, sounding obviously  
concerned.  
“I was just tired, that’s all.” Mike shrugged, hoping that Vic didn’t  
ask any more questions about his day.  
Vic looked down at the book in Mike’s hands, grinning. “That’s my  
favourite one!”  
Hearing those words from his older brother made Mike feel warm inside.  
He clutched his worn, dog-eared edition of the third book in the Harry  
Potter series, its spine wrinkled like an old man’s face. Mike tries  
to take good care of his books, but when you’ve read it a thousand  
times and it often gets knocked out of your hands by a bully, the book  
was bound to show a bit of wear and tear.  
They both hurried off to school, Vic steering Mike gently so that he  
doesn’t bump into anything, his entire face buried deep in the book.  
A sharp bell chime signalled the beginning of first period, forcing  
Vic and Mike to split directions, and agree to meet after fourth  
period for lunch. Walking to his first lesson, Mike could feel people  
staring at him in disapproving confusion, but tried not to let them  
get him down.  
“Hey! Aren’t you going to thank for me the other day?” The voice  
sounded familiar, but Mike couldn’t quite place it. He reached for his  
hat before it’s quickly stolen again, as a reflex more than anything  
else. The guy chuckled lightly at his actions. Nervously, Mike looked  
up to see his hero again.  
“Who are you?” Mike asked quietly.  
“I’m Oliver- Oliver Sykes. But, you can call me Ollie.” He flashed  
Mike a cheeky grin and entered the English class that, up until this  
point, Mike hadn’t realised they shared.


End file.
